1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to an auger snowblower and in particular an auger snowblower having dual discharge chutes in which the blower and augers are powered by hydraulic motors.
2. Discussion of the Technical Problems.
Conventional auger-type snowblowers generally power the auger by the use of belts, chains, pulleys, and direct mechanical drives. Additionally, conventional auger snowblowers are designed so that the snow is augered toward a centrally located snowblower which has a discharge chute that can be directed from side to side. Unfortunately, auger snowblowers of this type are difficult to mount on a vehicle because they require extensive mechanical connections. Additionally, they do not have sufficient power to force all of the snow through the snowblower when encountering heavy drifts and wet snow.
Snowblowers having outside mounted multiple blowers are not previously known in that the prior art teaches movement of snow along the auger toward the center where a single snowblower discharges the snow. By moving the snow outward in the auger to outside mounted blowers, a greater volume of snow can be moved from the auger and thus discharged at a higher rate. Ideally, double augers arranged vertically one on top of the other could be powered by two hydraulic motors. The augers would move the snow outward toward a pair of outwardly disposed blowers also each powered by a single hydraulic motor. Each blower is powered by its own motor.
The use of hydraulic motors to power a snowblower and a snow moving auger is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,052 issued July 5, 1983, to Guy, Jr. The Guy snowblower utilizes hydraulic motors to power the auger and the blower as well as to rotate the discharge chute. The snowblower of that design does not utilize multiple blowers located to the outside of the auger and the Guy invention teaches the conventional auger arrangement which transports the snow to the center for introduction into the snowblower instead of outwardly toward outside-mounted blowers.
Other snowblowers and snowplows with auger arrangements are known. Examples of such blowers and snowplows can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,368 issued Oct. 4, 1955, to Snook, U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,620 issued Apr. 21, 1959, to MacDonald, U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,687 issued July 18, 1978, to Jeswine, U.S. Pat. No. 2,103,514 issued Dec. 28, 1937, to Cole, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,025 issued Mar. 20, 1973, to Orr, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,326 issued Jan. 6, 1942, to Wandscheer. A multiple snow discharge chute assembly is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,923, issued June 25, 1979, to Steiner, et al. and an injection tube assembly for a snowblower is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,274 issued Jan. 22, 1980, to Vohl.
Very few devices in the known art relate to multiple snowblowers and none known are directed to providing dual augers powered by hydraulic motors which move the snow to the outside where two hydraulically powered snowblowers discharge the snow through hydraulically controlled discharge spouts.
Accordingly, a need exists for a snowblower that would provide a safe, convenient power and snowblowing arrangement that is simple, inexpensive, and could be adapted to connection to a vehicle's hydraulic system. An auger snowblower of that type would provide a simple design, be easy to maintain, easily repaired, not subject to damage by proper use, and simple to manufacture. The instant invention is directed to all those needs as well as to others as explained in the following summary.